I must admit I haven't been in this forum for about 3 years probably. Maybe not smart to admit here, but I changed to kitesurfing.
Loved windsurfing, but kiting is just more convinient for me where I live (and it is a lot of fun too !!)

Anyway just saw a Starboard commercial and started to wonder how windsurfing is doing on a global scale these days? Here locally there are still windsurfers, but much more kitesurfers. In other parts of the country I think there are still a lot of windsurfers (west coast wave spots).

Does anyone know how is the condition of the patient (windsurfing) ?
Is it only the "older" generation that still windsurf or are the young ones still coming on board etc. For sure around here kitesurfing has "stolen" an immense number of windsurfers.

This thread is not to discuss what's best. I know kitesurfers are wankers that don't know how to windsurf etc etc. I just loved windsurfing (consider buying a high wind board as weel again) and hope the sport is doing okay even though it doesn't seem so around here.

In my spot windsurfing has been reduced with 80% in favour to kitesurfing. Anyway the total number of "surfers" seems to have come up, as a lot of newcomers are attracted to the kites.
Not much co-relation between these two groups though.

Hi Steen
I don't think you are going to get a correct picture what's going on on a global scale, maybe a few local observations. Where I live most of new faces are kiters, but that's extremely small market and very few people doing any of those sports anyway. That said, I believe kiting stole our thunder on a global level in the last 10 years, no doubt. It is easier to get results in shorter time, and looks very attractive, so not surprising that it's doing well. Windsurfing became a niche activity (from a relatively mass sport 20 years ago), that's fine with me and I don't think it's going to die.

I'm interested why kiting is more convenient where you live (inland or the coast), because of light winds or something else? Where I sail, some spots are very inconvenient for kiting (currents, strong gusty winds, difficult to fly a kite because of trees, rocks, cramped launch spots, etc). With regard to convenience, I admit I like the fact that you have to haul less kite gear to cover good wind range. In fact windsurfing is as INCONVENIENT as any sport activity can be (unless you live in a perfect spot with 300 days of steady wind per year).

I don't know what is it with me today, I am being nice to a w*nker ;-)))